Submitted by: Hal Metzler
Submitting Department: Public Works
Agenda Section: Action
Item Title:
title
Letter of Support: “The Walkable Urban Streets Act”, CB-069-2023, and the accompanying Council Resolutions CB-067-2023 and CB-068-2023
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Suggested Action:
recommendation
I move that the Mayor and Council authorize the City to send a letter to the Prince George’s County Council in support of CB-069-2023, and the accompanying Council Resolutions CB-067-2023 and CB-068-2023.
Furthermore, we request that an amendment to CB-069-2023 be considered to strike or revise the broad exceptions provided in lines 6-9 of the Bill, which is holdover language from current law (i.e., strike "except when costs shall be demonstrated to be disproportionate to the projected need, or when such facilities would be inappropriate due to the nature of the project, including the context and character of the surrounding built and natural environment of the surrounding neighborhood or area").
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Summary Background:
CB-069-2023 will update and codify the County's 2017 Urban Street Design Standards. Codifying the previously adopted standards will require the County (DPW&T and DPIE) to implement those standards and build complete streets (i.e., streets safe for all road users - people walking, rolling, biking, taking public transit, and driving) in our regional transit districts and local centers (at least four of which are in, or adjacent to, the City of Hyattsville). Making our transit districts more walkable will also significantly improve the quality of life and safe access to transit for the increasing number of Hyattsville residents who live within these transit districts.
The County should adopt a policy and process that requires its planning and permitting staff to provide detailed information to decisionmakers about both the costs of investing in Walkable Urban Streets (e.g., the price of walkway/bikeway/roadway treatments, trees, benches, lighting, signage, etc) and the social and environmental costs of unwalkable, dangerous urban streets (e.g., externalities that we all pay for, including serious injury and fatality to pedestrians and cyclists, congestion, cost of gas, insurance and maintenance for drivers of single occupancy vehicles, noise and air pollution, space lost to parking, etc).
The Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy, and Environment Committee (TIEE) will discuss the bill and resolutions at their Sept. 14th meeting. If the bill makes it out of the TIEE committee, it will move to the full County Council for vote and adoption.
Links to supporting documents:
Prince George's County Council - Reference No. CB-069-2023 (legistar.com) <https://princegeorgescountymd.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6271627&GUID=31D9D481-CAE2-4A8E-BCE7-8EE150CEB25F>
Prince George's County Council - Reference No. CR-067-2023 (legistar.com) <https://princegeorgescountymd.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6271626&GUID=5963DDA5-19E1-4AA5-9A35-43C0033904D6>
Prince George's County Council - Reference No. CR-068-2023 (legistar.com) <https://princegeorgescountymd.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6271638&GUID=75A6A71C-DCFD-409C-9B67-B684EF4804F9>
Walkable Urban Streets Act: What You Need to Know Fact Sheet <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JWRvU9GO3rEr9Ju77VL1pF42XOki78rX/view?usp=sharing>
College Park, Sample Letter of Support for CB-069-2023 <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1frBx1ZX-E3uT2gpfZNo8ZGuUMhZplRJp/view?usp=sharing>
Next Steps:
Upon Council approval, staff will draft and send letter.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
City Administrator Comments:
Recommend support.
Community Engagement:
N/A
Strategic Goals:
Goal 3 - Promote a Safe and Vibrant Community
Legal Review Required?
N/A